SMEs: Does appointing a local PR agency really give you a competitive edge in Sheffield?

If you work in Sheffield, you’ll know that the city has a unique business community. We often say that in Sheffield, ‘everyone knows everyone’ and in a city with such a strong community, having a good network of connections in the city can be make or break for both your business and your PR strategy.

Authentic connections

The Chapter II team loves a networking event, and not just because we love an excuse to grab a coffee in the morning, but because it’s one of the best places to build authentic connections. Whether that’s meeting other industry experts and journalists from across Sheffield and the wider Yorkshire region, or if we are making connections with local businesses or charities to explore opportunities for clients, meeting people face-to-face is always one of the best ways to make a genuine connection with someone. 

We have had fantastic results from connecting with journalists across the area, who we have gone on to build great relationships with and worked alongside, to secure key pieces of coverage for our clients across Yorkshire, because we have a better understanding of what the journalists would like to get involved with and which topics their readers are invested in. 

Good connections are also key when you are thinking about collaborations with other local groups or even influencers across the area. In Sheffield, particularly for hospitality brands, we have a variety of local influencers who get fantastic engagement across the local area (think Pints of Sheff), but these social media creators aren’t necessarily known outside of Yorkshire, so it’s easy to miss out on these important creators if you aren’t engaged with the local area. 

Chapter II was established in 1997, almost 30 years ago, so over the years we have built strong connections with journalists both in Yorkshire and within the key industries our clients operate in. Although the landscape of marketing and PR has changed significantly during this time, one thing which hasn’t changed is how important authentic relationships have been in creating successful campaigns for our clients. 

Better brand strategy 

Already have ongoing local marketing campaigns and a brand strategy in place? Understanding how these are playing out across the area and how they’re being received by your local target audience gives the agency you’re working with key information for the ongoing PR strategy and can influence your messaging in the future. 

Having the ability to get a sense of when a campaign might not be performing well within your target market and quickly pivoting the messaging could be vital for the sentiment around your brand in Sheffield. Although agencies outside of the area can get a sense of the sentiment around campaigns from social listening tools, often the best feedback you’ll receive will come from people you know who really understand the area and are in your target market.

A deeper understanding of the nuances of life in Sheffield will also mean you can make a stronger connection to your target audience, for example, most people outside of Sheffield know about the football club rivalry, but how about our love for Hendo’s, our music scene, vast green spaces and the Steelers? These are just a few examples, but these iconic aspects of Sheffield are things that the local community can connect with and relate to, and as an SME, this could be vital to both retaining and attracting new customers.  

If you are a business based in Sheffield, or the surrounding area, and you’re looking for a city-centre-based agency to take your PR strategy to the next level, get in touch with us today to find out how the Chapter II team can boost your brand locally.  

You can also find out more about our PR services here.